The Horsehearted
by Cella
Summary: Josana moves to Tortall and becomes a spy. I concieved this before I even knew about POTS so there is no Kel and Daine and Numair are married. A little violence, therefore the pg.
1. Jo Meets Onua

The Horsehearted  
  
Chapter 1: Jo Meets Onua  
Jo trotted her horse Ferdinand down the road. The sun was low in the sky and for once there were no streams or meadows to camp by. Finally, Jo turned around and rode Ferdinand to a stream she had passed a few miles up the track. It was dark by the time she reached a place to camp. Jo removed Ferdinand's worn old bridle with a tired groan. It was too dark to hunt and she would have to go without dinner. Game was scarce along the road and Jo had failed to find any thing for breakfast that morning.  
"I wish the vegetation wasn't so picked over by travelers." Jo complained. Why don't you just eat grass, Ferdinand sighed.  
"Because it tastes nasty." Jo exclaimed.  
She unpacked her mule, Jenny, and laid out her bedroll. Jo didn't bother to build a fire since she wasn't cooking.  
Jenny stood calmly, aloof to all that was happening around her.  
" Jenny, do you want to sleep over here with Ferdinand and I?" Jo inquired. No thank you Jenny sniffed.   
Jo lay down and fell asleep the moment her head hit the ground, her arm slung over Ferdinand's barrel.  
She and Ferdinand were galloping over open prairie. There was not a tree in sight. The path was straight. 'Not twisted and winding, like these impossible forest trails.' Jo thought. Ferdinand's stride was eating up the ground."Not so fast!" she called. Then Jo realized that she was the one galloping across the prairie. She let her legs take control and enjoyed the feeling of the wind whipping through her mane. A small creek bed loomed in front of her. Jo jumped it with ease, snapping up her knees and rounding her back. Gradually, a haze overtook the land. Soon Jo could see only a few feet in front of her. She tried to stop, but her legs kept going. A sheer cliff stood only a foot away. Her feet carried her over the edge. A sick feeling of falling erupted from the pit of her stomach and reverberated throughout her body. She saw the ground coming toward her, coming to eat her, swallow her up like she never existed. Then everything was black.   
Something tickled Jo's face. She opened her eyes and saw a big, round, soft 'thing'. The 'thing' blew hot, sweet smelling air into her face. Shaken out of her sleep Jo stood up and grabbed for her bow. She looked up and smiled in relief. The 'thing' was just a pony or actually about twenty-five ponies.   
"Hello." Jo said loudly so all the horses could hear, "Who do you all belong to?"  
The raven-haired woman. The horse that sniffed her said.  
Jo scowled, she wished they could have given her a more accurate description. Then, she remembered the woman she had passed on the road earlier that day. The woman had been wearing a uniform that proclaimed her the horsemistress for the Queen's Riders.  
"Come along!" Jo called, finding the route the horses had taken from that woman's camp. She mounted Ferdinand with difficulty because he was such a tall horse and she was so very tired.   
"Oh, Jo, you are such an idiot!" Jo exclaimed to herself and gave herself a smack on the head for emphasis. The woman had the Gift and like any person travelling alone would ward her camp against detection. Jo slipped off Ferdinand and went to her bedroll. Besides, the woman probably would have shot anyone prowling around her camp at night with about twenty-five of her horses.  
Jo woke two hours before dawn. She headed out to hunt grabbing her bow. She slipped silently through the woods, looking for a game trail or a watering place. After an hour Jo gave up and went back to her camp. On the way back to camp, Jo found some edible roots. When she returned, she fetched some water and boiled the roots. How can you eat that? Jenny said, turning up her upper lip in disgust.  
"It's a lot better than grass." Jo said calmly. She was much more patient with animals than people. "Do you want a bite?" Jenny shuddered There is no way I will eat cooked food. Anything that is touched by something as scary as that flashy, hot stuff has to be gross. "Alright." Jo replied. She never could connect with Jenny like she did with all of the other horses. Jo packed up her camp. "Jenny do you want Ferdinand to carry the supplies and have me ride you?" No, I'm fine. Jenny said flatly. Jo sighed and placed her things on the pack mule. When she was loaded up she slipped on Ferdinand's bridle and mounted bareback. She didn't have enough money for a saddle. "Why did the Shang Falcon have to leave me his war horse instead of a pony." Jo said with a groan as she heaved herself aboard Ferdinand. Because you were like a daughter to him and he knew you would take good care of me when he died. Ferdinand replied sedately.   
"Come on everybody! Let get moving!" Jo called to the few remaining stragglers who were greedily munching on bits of grass as they moseyed their way toward her.  
Jo easily picked up their trail. It was a walk in the park for such a skilled tracker as she to backtrack the horses to their camp.   
After meandering through the woods for an hour, Jo saw a crimson magical fire protecting a campsite from thieves and prowlers. In the dim light she saw a K'mir woman with a small recurved bow standing ready. "Excuse me!" Jo called through the trees, "I'm sorry to wake you but, about twenty-five of your horses got loose during the night. I'm here to return them." The K'mir lowered her bow looking shocked for a moment. Then, regaining her stern, harsh look she called, "Are you alone?" Jo could feel the woman was using sorcery to test if Jo was lying.  
"Yes!" Jo cried. She did not like the idea of anyone knowing how absolutely defenseless she was but it didn't look like she had any other choice. The woman interrupted her thoughts by saying, "Come out with your hands where I can see them and bring the ponies." The wall of scarlet fire vanished and Jo rode into the camp. Jo walked carefully eyeing the bow in the woman's hands. The ponies followed warily catching Jo's hesitation at riding into a strange person's camp. Don't worry she is a very good person. You will like her very much. Said a strange sorrel pony that was picketed to the ground.  
"What is your name?" said a cold clear voice from the other side of the camp. Jo again could feel the magic testing her. If she lied the woman would know.  
"My full name is Josana Falconsri, but most call me Jo." The woman seemed to warm a little bit knowing Jo had given her real name.  
"Where are you from? You seem awfully young to be on the road alone."  
"I'm from the Pao Canyon." Jo replied, at the K'mir's confused look, Jo added, "It's a small village in Gallan plains. My old boss died and I am looking for a job." The woman nodded knowingly.  
"What was your job? By the way my name's Onua." Onua inquired  
"I was an hostler, and I did a little bit of training too." She said, absently scratching Ferdinand's withers.  
"How old are you? Do you know how to hunt or your way around a camp?" Onua asked. Jo looked at Onua like she was crazy. Everyone should know how to hunt. Jo had been working around camps since before she could remember.  
"Of course I do." Jo said with a scowl, "And I'm fourteen." Onua looked Jo over. She had shoulder length dark blonde hair and murky eyes with green and brown swimming together like rubbish in a sewer. Onua looked over her horse. He was obviously stolen; such a fine war-horse would not be owned by someone as poor as Jo appeared to be. Then Onua thought about the ponies; the closeness between the girl and the horses reminded her of how close Daine was with animals. Thief or not Jo was a remarkable hand with horses-anyone that could drive twenty-five horses through the woods with out any lead lines and in the dark had to be good. Finally, Onua said, "You said you were looking for a job."  
Jo said in a soft quiet voice, "Yes ma'am."  
"How about you work for me as my assistant, if I'd had some help my horses wouldn't have run off in he first place." Onua stated practically. Jo looked at the older woman, startled. It took a few moments for Jo to see Onua was serious.  
"W-well yes ma'am, I-I'd love to." Jo sputtered.  
"Then you start right now." Onua said, "Put lead lines on those horses and help me pack up." Jo did as she was told and silently helped Onua pack up the camp.   
By the time the sun rose they were on the road. Jo sat Ferdinand silently wondering why that woman had taken her on so quickly. Jo was afraid that Onua would try to steal Ferdinand. He interrupted her thoughts by asking, What are you worrying about? "Oh, nothing." Jo said leaning forward and affectionately rubbing Ferdinand's neck. You are worrying, he insisted, tell me what it is about. "I'm not worrying!" Jo cried, exasperated. Then blushed at the odd look Onua gave her. Jo glowered at Ferdinand's withers calling herself an idiot for talking to a horse when someone was watching. You aren't stupid. Insisted the sorrel she had talked to earlier that day. "Humph!" was all Jo could say.  
Onua looked at Jo out of the corner of her eye. The girl was much like Daine. She could almost feel the wild magic leaking out of her. Onua had to show Jo to Numair. "So, Jo, what are the Gallan Plains like?" Onua asked.  
Jo looked at her sharply, then said, "It is a very unique region. A scholar would likely give you a much more accurate discription."  
"I hear the weather is really harsh." Onua said  
"The air is very dry, and the wind is always blowing. The summers are hot. The winters are cold. It's harsh, but you can't keep from missing it when you leave." Embarrassed by the show of emotion, Jo blushed and picked at Ferdinand's mane. The ponies followed along meekly. If one of them started to fuss, a dirty look from Jo was all it took to make them get back in line.   
At noon Onua broke the silence that had stretched across the morning by saying, "We'd better stop and eat lunch." Jo looked at her like she was crazy. What is this woman talking about? Jo thought. What was that thing called lunch.  
"Why are we stopping?" Jo said.  
"For a bite to eat, aren't you hungry?" Onua replied.  
"But why stop in the middle of the day." Jo insisted.  
"For lunch." Onua said, confused at Jo's own confusion, "Don't Gallan plainsmen have a meal at midday?"  
"No." Jo murmured ashamedly, looking at Ferdinand's withers, why couldn't she just hold her tongue. Now she'd made Onua angry for sure.   
"Hey, I'm not going to bite." Onua said cheerily, giving Jo a playful punch in the shoulder. Jo looked up and gave her a tiny hint of a smile. Spurred on by the small smile Onua continued, "Did you face really move, or was it the wind, I could have sworn it was frozen in place." Onua said with a grin. This time Jo rewarded Onua with a full smile. When Jo smiled the ponies seemed to pick up their feet and raise their heads. The sun shined brighter and even the trees looked happier. Wow, Onua thought, That's almost eerie. A troublesome bay pony pinned its ears at a passing horse. Jo barked at it and the magic ended. The ponies resumed their usual disposition and everything went back to the normal choking silence that had enveloped them earlier.   
"Here we are." Onua said, trying to break the awkward silence that had ensued over the past ten minutes as she looked for a campsite. Jo dismounted and set up the picket lines on which to tie the horses. Onua reached into her packs and drew out a loaf of bread and some jerked venison. Drawing her knife out of its sheath, Onua cut the loaf of bread in half and offered it Jo.  
"Yes, please, I'm hungry." Jo said politely. Jo scarfed down her meal in record timing while still managing to use perfect table manners. When she finished, Jo approached Jenny's packs and to Onua's surprise brought out an ancient looking book.  
"What's that?" Onua said, curiously bending her head to see the title of the book. "The Basics of Dressage. Wow, what's dressage."  
"Dressage is a little like dancing, only for horses." Jo said, looking at Onua curiously.  
"Like dancing?" Onua asked eagerly, "Can you do it?"  
"A little." Jo said, looking down at her feet.  
"Could you show me a few moves once we get on the road?"  
"I suppose." Jo murmured. Onua settled down to eat her lunch as Jo looked over the ponies. Onua looked at her as she ran her hands over each horse talking softly to them, sternly to some, and sweetly to others.  
After Onua finished her lunch she said, "Now about that, uh, what's it called again? Something- awj?"  
"Dressage." Jo supplied.  
"Now about that dressage, can I see some?"  
"I suppose." Jo said quietly as she mounted Ferdinand.  
First she walked, trotted, and cantered around the small clearing, stretching Ferdinand's legs. After cantering both directions she slowed Ferdinand to a trot. Sitting instead of posting, she closed her eyes and focused on Ferdinand until all she felt was Ferdinand. When Jo opened her eyes again she could feel her/Ferdinand's legs beating a simple posting trot. She brought in her nose and rounded her back, drawing her hind feet further forward under her stomach. She then extended her front feet.  
Onua watched in awe as Jo and Ferdinand practically floated over the ground in an extended trot. For the next fifteen minutes Jo executed a series of complicated moves that would have mesmerized anybody, whether they liked horses or not.  
She ended her display with a sliding stop (she had thought up that move). Coming back to herself was disappointing. She almost wished she could have been Ferdinand/Jo forever. Onua was looking at her with wide eyes. "Wow, how did you get him to do all of that?" Onua asked, "Is it hard?"  
"No," Jo said, turning a beet red and focusing on Ferdinand's withers, she added, "You really just do what the book says I guess."  
Onua barraged Jo with questions about dressage until Jo finally gave Onua her book and told her to read it for herself. Onua raised her eyebrows, "Did I just hear Josana Falconsri get irritated by me?" Onua said giving Jo a pat on the back and a grin to know she was joking.   
"Well, if you saw a forty year old woman asking questions like a school girl, I'm sure you would be a little flustered too." Jo shot back, feeling a hint of irritation worm its way into her usually calm voice. Onua just grinned and continued riding.  
The ponies were fussing and arguing. It took all of Onua and Jo's strength to calm them. After ten minutes of riding, the ponies seemed to relax. Jo had assumed her usual neutral look that gave away no feelings, but the air had a pleasant feel to it.  
They continued to travel at an easy pace, Jo, who had long forgotten to be wary of talking to horses in front of Onua, was in a in a deep argument with a dun gelding about the ethics of taming wild horses. The afternoon wore on and more horses joined the argument until Jo finally shouted, giving the dun an angry look, "Okay, you win, I give up, satisfied."  
She looked at the sun. It was low in the sky. Onua caught her looking at the sun and said, "There's a camp half of a mile up."  
Jo nodded and said, "Oh."  
When they got to the camp Jo got out her bow and quiver and trotted down a thin game trail winding through the woods. Jo crept through the forest on cat feet, not making a single sound. Then, she found a few small tracks. Rabbit judging from the pattern of its footfalls, she thought. Jo followed the tracks to a rabbit den. All of a sudden a rabbit sprang up from seemingly nowhere, followed by another. Jo shot the first one smoothly in the windpipe. She then swiftly drew another arrow from her quiver and shot the second one in the stomach, drawing her dagger, Jo strode up to the rabbit and ended its life.  
She grabbed her kills by their ears and marched back to camp. The first rabbit she had shot would make a nice skin. She could use it to line her winter clothes.   
`  
When Jo arrived back at camp, Onua, busy digging the latrine, just nodded to acknowledge her presence then went back to digging. Jo skinned and gutted each animal with deft movements of her knife. When Jo was done, she found several dead tree branches, two with forked ends. Jo whittled the ends of them and poked them into the ground. She speared the rabbit carcasses and hung them on the two forked sticks above the fire pit to cook. Jo cleaned the skin of the first rabbit and pegged it out to dry with the remaining sticks. Now that I have the spit set I have to start the fire, she thought. Jo picked up her steel, flint and tinder and began the difficult process of coaxing a flame out of the kindling. Jo was very skilled at this (she had started many fires before today). Soon a small flame began to tremblingly creep its way upward. She started blowing, and begging and in a matter of minutes the flame ate up its kindling. Jo fed larger and larger branches into the greedy fire. When the flame was large enough she stood back and tried to see where else that she could be of use. The ponies probably need a going over, she thought. She went over to her packs and grabbed a mane comb, curry, hoofpick, and hard bristled brush. Jo went over the horses, giving them not a thorough grooming but enough of one as not to shame herself and Onua.  
All of a sudden Onua showed up. Judging from her wet hair and pink face, Jo assumed that she had been washing. "Is there a place to wash?" she asked curiously.  
"Yes, there is, go about a half of a furlong (1/16 of a mile) east and you'll find a stream." Onua replied.  
"Well, I'll go wash." Jo said calmly, going to her packs and retrieving a rough, loosely woven brown shirt and a pair of breeches.   
When Jo returned from washing, she found Onua had supper ready. She was hungry. Using all of the table manners that old Avril taught her. Avril had once worked in the Scanran court until he supported the wrong king and had to flee to the Gallan plains in order to save his life. Jo daintily gobbled down her food. His stiff manners had stuck and he had spent much time with her when she was an infant, the result was that Jo could speak fluent Scanran and had perfect table manners.  
After dinner, Jo pulled out her dagger and whittled while Onua reminisced about the immortals war and how she and one of her friends discovered the greatest wildmage in the world. Jo did not have the foggiest idea what a wildmage was and even though she itching to find out Jo kept her mouth shut-she didn't want to look more idiotic than she already did. "You are pretty good with animals." Onua said bringing the story of Numair Salmalin's victory against a famous Scanran mage to an abrupt close.  
Jo shrugged, "You have to be good out there."  
"Maybe you are a wildmage yourself." Onua ventured.  
"There is nothing magical about me." Jo stated calmly, "I am glad that don't have a Gift. It saves me from all of that university fiddle-faddle." And with that Jo returned to her whittling that was starting to look more and more like a horse with every moment that passed. Onua returned to her stories and began talking about how the queen had arrived in Corus. It was late when Onua finally realized it was time to turn in. She gathered her supplies and began to ward the camp. Jo pulled out her bedroll and laid it out on the ground. Jo leaned back and stared at the stars, blinking back tears. During the day she didn't have to remember but at night her memory tore her apart. Jo rolled over on her stomach hoping that Onua wouldn't see the tears on Jo's cheeks. She could still see herself killing Cyril. The sick crunch of the knife as it entered his body, the body of the man that had taught her how to hunt. How could she be so cold as to kill the man that taught her how to hunt? It was either his life or yours said a voice in the back of her mind.  
Jo tormented herself for an hour with such thoughts. Gradually, the tears dried and she became aware of the problem of getting to sleep with the red fire of Onua's Gift shining every where. She tossed and turned but no matter what direction she faced it was there to torment her. Finally Jo lay her head in the crook of her arm and shut her eyes as tight as they would go, but to no avail; the lights had just as strong a presence in her mind as it did in her vision. Giving up on sleep Jo sat up and pulled her awl a deer hide she brought with her out of her packs, and dedicated herself to the task of making her winter clothes by the light of Onua's ward.  
  



	2. The Journey

The Horsehearted  
  
Chapter 2: The Journey  
The morning dawned bright and early-too early for Jo's taste, for she hadn't been able to fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning and even then she had barely managed any more than a thin, fitful doze. Despite the late night she had awoken before Onua, by the time the K'mir was up she had a fire going and breakfast was almost cooked. Onua dragged her body out of the bedroll and groaned sleepily. Something along the lines of "Oh you're up" seemed to escape Onua's lips as she feebly stumbled over to the fire and somehow managed to move her food from the plate to her mouth without any major mishaps. Jo poured both Onua and herself a cup of coffee. She took a sip and sighed, there was nothing like strong coffee to wake you up in the morning. All of a sudden Onua yelped and spat out a mouthful of coffee, choking and gasping for air.  
"What did you put in this stuff." Onua said between wheezes.  
"Just coffee." Jo said looking into her cup and taking an experimental sip, "It tastes alright to me."  
Onua took a careful, tiny sip "Wow, this is strong enough to float an arrow head on." She said calmly and set her cup on the ground.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hunter dismounted, of all the things that had happened, this was by far the worst. "Oh, Sunsinger," he said, talking to his horse, "Why did you have to get hurt today." Do you think I did this on purpose, she said tartly, Get on my back, before I leave you to get caught by the two-leggers. "I am not going to ride you when you are injured." Hunter replied. What he wouldn't give for his mother Daine's ability to heal animals.  
Hunter had been sent on a mission by the spymaster to find the Healing Opal, a black opal with enough magic stored in it to heal an army, it had been looted by Scanran raiders and sold to Galla. When the spymaster had found out, he had sent Hunter, nineteen years old and one of his best, to scope it out and see if it was possible to steal the jewel. Hunter had gotten caught and he had left Cria with a rush.   
He trudged down the road under an invisibility spell. Hunter was tiring quickly, he only had a small gift and could not hold an invisibility spell for more than a few minutes without tiring; he'd held this one for an hour. He saw dust in the distance in front of him. Maybe if he could hold his spell for a few more minutes he could pass the people on the road and then the hounds that were following would lose his scent. He hoped. Get on, Sunsinger insisted, you won't catch up without my help. "Alright I'll get on, but only because I know we have to catch up with those people." Hunter put his foot in the stirrup and tried to mount. His strength was sapped by the spell, and he slipped when he was halfway on Sunsinger, hitting the ground with a thud. Hunter felt something-sharp gouge into his forearm. He looked down; blood was streaming out of a long jagged gash. Hunter said a few very impolite words. Sunsinger watched with amusement then said Stop talking and get on. "One second." He muttered, ripping off the sleeve of his shirt and tying it around his injured arm. He then mounted Sunsinger, this time with no major mishaps and set off for that cloud of dust in the distance.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Josana and Onua were on the road. Jo felt something tickle her in the back of her mind. It drove her crazy, even though she blamed it on the dust she knew that the cranky mood she was working herself into was really because of the odd feeling in her mind. The ponies grew irritable and insisted on doing everything they could to delay the journey. Her face red and her teeth clenched Jo barked at a particularly troublesome bay pony. "Get back in line right now before I smack you so hard you won't know up from down." The gelding meekly scurried back into place looking as if his feelings were hurt. "Oh, I'm so sorry." Jo said, her tone changing to one of sympathy and affection.  
"Are you okay?" Onua said, craning her head around to see Jo.  
"I'm fine, it's just this dust is driving me crazy."  
"Well, I don't care how much you hate the dust, I will have no one talk to my horses like that." Onua reprimanded.  
Onua ignored the look on her face as best she could. She was surprised that Jo looked so upset. Most people would have brushed her comment off, but she took it to heart.  
The tickle in Jo's mind grew stronger. All of a sudden she turned around. To her shock a young man was riding toward the center of the ponies. She saw a faint rose colored fire surrounding him and his horse. A feeling of stealth and sneaking around in dark corridors seemed to emanate from the fire.  
Jo grabbed her bow, putting an arrow on the string and raising it she cried in a cold, hard voice, "Drop that spell and don't even think about going for your dagger."  
Hunter froze. The girl had caught him. How? She was such a young thing, fourteen at the most. How could she catch him, Hunter Salmalin, one of the best spies in Tortall? Hunter shed the spell, exhaling loudly, so she'd know he didn't like what was happening at all. All of a sudden the girl paled.   
"Where did you get that horse?" she asked in fast clipped words.   
Hunter, whose pride had been hurt by his capture, replied lazily, "Why should I tell you?"  
"Because I have the bow and you will tell me what I want you to tell me." she snapped.  
Onua rode up and demanded, "What is going on?"  
"I found this young gentleman riding through the middle of your ponies under some sort of spell." Jo replied, never relaxing her grip on the bow or moving her head.  
"Uh...Onua could I talk to you in private for a moment." Hunter said. The spymaster had always told him that in a pinch he could trust Onua to help him.  
"Why sure Hunter. Jo, go tend to his horse, and put that bow down." Onua said, puzzling over why such a nice person as Hunter would try to steal her ponies.  
She dismounted Ferdinand and eagerly trotted to Hunter's horse, Sunsinger. Sunsinger was the first horse Jo had ever trained and she had thought that she would never see Sunny again. "What's wrong, Sunny?" she asked, feeling a shadow of pain in Sunsinger's mind. It's nothing Sunsinger said. "Liar." she stated. Jo bent down and ran her hand down Sunsinger's left hind leg. When her hand was right above the fetlock she then pinched gently. Sunsinger obediently raised her hoof, still protesting. There is nothing wrong. "Then why are you limping?" Jo insisted, scraping dry mud and bits of rock out of the hoof with her fingers. Gently feeling the soft tissue of the frog Jo said. "Your frog is bruised. I can't believe you let him ride you." I did it of my own free will, Sunsinger replied haughtily; I had to help him escape. "Escape what?" she inquired. And unthinkingly Sunsinger spilled Hunter's secret.  
Onua had easily understood Hunter's predicament and was glad to help. Hunter returned to the horses, Onua was going to hide his trail. The girl was putting a poultice of dried herbs on Sunsinger's afflicted hoof.  
"Hello, my name's Hunter Salmalin." He ventured sticking out his hand.  
"And mine's Josana Falconsri." she said looking up from her work. With a great deal of shifting and rearranging she managed to meet his hand with her own and shake it.  
"Can I help you?" Hunter offered.  
"No, I just about have it done." she said, putting down the hoof and dusting off her hands.  
"Josana," Hunter said thoughtfully, "that's a pretty name. Can I call you Josie?"  
"You are going to call me whatever you want so it doesn't matter." Jo said grumpily, not knowing how to react to such a compliment. Then all of a sudden she noticed Hunter's forearm "You're hurt." she exclaimed, concern creeping into her voice. When she reached for his arm Hunter pulled back. "Let me see." she said sternly. Warily, Hunter gave her his arm. Jo daintily removed the bandage with gentle fingers. She winced, "You need stitches."  
"What do you know about wounds?" Hunter retorted.  
Jo released his arm and went to her packs. "I've stitched up enough horses to know when someone needs stitches and you need them." Finding everything she needed, Jo handed a small flask to Hunter. "Three big gulps ought to do you."  
He eyed the flask, then took a gulp. Hunter coughed and gasped. "Wow, that stuff is terrible."  
"Two more." Jo prodded.  
Hunter drank almost choking. He felt exhausted, it was all he could do to keep his eyes open. Then he saw Jo threading a needle "No, please don't." Hunter begged his tongue felt heavy in his mouth and hard to move. Jo indicated that he should sit down on a nearby tree stump. When Hunter was seated Jo grabbed hold of Hunter's forearm and plunged the needle into his flesh. Hunter passed out and fell to the ground. Kneeling over him Jo grasped the needle; still embedded in his skin and proceeded to make nice, neat stitches.  
When she was finished, Jo pulled her bedroll off of Jenny. Since Hunter obviously had no supplies, she decided she would let him have her bedroll. She got the bed ready. When the bed was ready, Jo dragged him over to the bed. She was just covering up Hunter when Onua came trotting back up the road.  
Jo didn't ask Onua where she'd been. She believed that what Onua had been doing was none of her business and if it concerned her Onua would say so. "What's wrong with Hunter?" Onua asked.  
"I had to stitch up a wound on his forearm. He passed out." She replied simply.  
"Let me see it." Onua ordered.  
Jo went to the bedroll and grabbed Hunter's forearm, removed the bandage and let Onua have a look. "Whoa," Onua said, "I couldn't have done much better."  
Jo snorted and went to work at cleaning up the ponies. When the ponies were taken care of, Onua showed her how to set up the fishing lines. "Wow, you really have fish?" she inquired, "What do they taste like?"  
"I don't know. Fishy, I guess." Onua said with a grin.  
When the fire was burning and the fish was cooking, Jo had a peek at her patient's arm. It was fine with no sign of infection.  
"What did you do to him?" Onua asked as she stared at Hunter's sleeping form.   
"I gave him some of this, it just puts folks to sleep." Jo said, producing the small flask.  
Onua gave it a sniff and said suspiciously, "Where did you get this? I thought healers liked to use magic to make folks sleep." The K'mir' squinted the inside of the flask.  
"Fredrick gave it to me in case of an emergency, like the one we just had." Jo said, working on the carving she had started the night before.  
"Who's Fredrick?"  
"The camp cook and healer."  
"Hey, that looks pretty good." Onua said, nodding at the carving.  
"No, it's not." she mumbled."   
Hunter moaned. He felt terrible. He moaned again, rubbing bleary eyes that wouldn't focus. His head hurt more than it had ever hurt in his life.  
Jo tried not to grin, instead she grabbed the pot that held the coffee and offered it to him. Hunter took it and feebly poured himself a cup.  
"Before you drink that," Jo said, grabbing a packet of herbs and adding a handful to the cup, "That may help your head and get your eyes to focus a little better."  
Hunter swished the herbs around the bottom of the cup. She could see him test them magically. The herbs passed Hunter's test and he took a small sip. "This sure is weak."  
"Blame Onua, she made it." She replied, then shot Onua a fearful glance. Onua didn't look angry, in fact, she looked amused.  
Hunter grinned, he wasn't in the least handsome, he had short, dusty brown hair that was trying to be curly, but couldn't because of the length at which he kept it, he had dull, dusty brown eyes, and an unattractively stubborn chin. The only redeeming qualities that Hunter had were his long eyelashes and his full, sensitive mouth. Not that Jo was any better. She was gangly and skinny, her eyes had the appearance of muck floating around in a sewer, her dark blonde hair was kept in a severe bun, and she had a too big nose and a too small mouth. The fingers on Jo's right hand curled a little, she never had been able to straighten it out completely after a rattlesnake had bitten her when she was little. Hunter, now completely awake said, "Come on, Onua tell us some stories."  
Onua started on the tale of how Veralidaine Salmalin had destroyed the palace in Carthak. Jo was carving her horse and Hunter was listening fascinated. When Onua finished, Hunter said, "Okay, it's my turn to tell a story, and he immediately started to tell the story of the time his older brother glued his foot to the floor. "...And then he had to use the privy." Hunter said his face red from holding in laughter  
"What did you do?" Jo asked eagerly  
"We had to bring down a chamber pot and let him go in that." Hunter snorted and started to laugh so hard that Onua had to finish the story.  
"Now it's your turn to tell us a story." Hunter said.  
"Well," Jo said dubiously, "I don't have any as funny or exciting as yours."  
"I don't care as long as it's a new story, Onua and I have already heard all of each other's stories. I'm sure you have a new one." Hunter replied  
"Well then I'll tell you how I was found." she answered.  
"One day the Shang Falcon was riding out on the prairie and rounding up stray mares when he heard an odd sound. The Falcon feared it was a native so he rode his horse Ferdinand to the noise. Ferdinand was a flighty horse and it spooked the Falcon that he wasn't afraid when he himself was near trembling for fear of an ambush. The Shang Falcon wandered around for a few minutes before he found what had made the sound. It was a baby. The Falcon decided that the thing was near death, and he had not the time or resources to raise a child, besides he it was getting late, so he mounted Ferdinand and tried to ride away, but Ferdinand wouldn't leave. The Falcon spurred him and whipped him, but Ferdinand wouldn't leave the baby, no matter what the Falcon did. It was getting dark and soon it would be cold, so the Falcon finally picked the baby up in his arms and mounted Ferdinand, and to his amazement the horse eagerly cantered back to the ranch. The Falcon tells me that the smoothest ride Ferdinand ever gave him was when he carried me home that day."  
"I can't tell you how true it is, it's just what the Falcon said happened." Jo said with a shrug.  
"I can't believe he would have left you on the prairie." Onua said, shocked that anyone would have let a baby die in the middle of nowhere.  
"It's your turn again, Onua." Hunter said, changing the subject. Onua started about how Veralidaine Salmalin had killed Ozorne.  
Jo had finished her carving of the horse, and was sorting through the blocks of wood, looking for another piece of wood to start carving. Hunter reached out his hand in a silent request for her carving. She handed it to him. Hunter ran his fingers over the carving. It was remarkably well done. He leaned around the campfire and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Josie, this is really good, you should sell it."  
"No, just toss it out, I've done better." she said dismisively.  
"Well if you won't sell it, do you mind if I keep it?" Hunter asked.  
"Feel free. You can have all of them if you like." Jo stated calmly.  
Onua craned her head around and said, "Hunter, give it here."  
The carving was very realistic, the horse looked as though it wasn't sure of its surroundings, wondering if it should bolt or make itself at home. Onua looked from the horse to Jo, the carving seemed to reflect her indecision of how safe her surroundings were.  
"Hey, guess what, Sir Abram is going to join us at the Drell River. I was worried that I wouldn't have enough help, now I am afraid I'll have too much. Sir Abram is going to teach the Riders how to use a knife, maybe you could take some lessons while we're on the road." Onua said, looking at Jo.  
"I could." she said thoughtfully.  
"Well, it's late and I'm tired so I'll set the ward and we'll go to sleep." Onua said, getting up and stretching. As Onua walked in circles around the camp Jo grabbed the saddle blanket from her packsaddle and wrapped up in it.  
"Let me take the blanket and you have the bedroll." Hunter offered.  
"You have drained yourself magically and you have hurt your forearm, you need a good night's sleep." she replied, laying down and curling up in the blanket and pretending to go to sleep.  
"Okay, I guess I'll just sleep in the bedroll." Hunter muttered.  
Jo couldn't sleep, the light was driving her crazy, and in addition to presence of magic in her mind, she felt something unpleasant and wrong brush the back of her mind, it kept its distance, but she knew something bad was out there. The ward will protect us from whatever it is, she thought. She couldn't go to sleep, so she set to mending her old pairs of breeches and shirts.  
Jo was bent over her needlework when she heard Hunter approaching, "What are you doing? Can you not sleep? Why don't you take the bedroll and I the saddle blanket." He offered  
"No, I can't sleep because of the ward Onua placed, not because I don't have my bedroll, I've been in rougher spots on colder nights with less cover and slept like a baby." she answered, "Go back to sleep before I poke your eyes out with this needle."  
Hunter sighed and went back to sleep. She mended for an hour before finally going to her pallet. Jo tried to go to sleep, but Cyril tormented her. She remembered the Shang Falcon falling ill and eventually dying. She had discovered Cyril, the foreman, had slowly poisoned him. Jo confronted him before telling the others and Cyril had tried to kill her, by a stroke of luck she managed to stay alive, but Cyril was dead. She had shown the hands her proof, and reminded them that Cyril would have inherited the Falcon's riches. The hands had understood and Jo stayed for a while, but the memory still tormented her, so she left the place that reminded her of Cyril to try and find some peace.  
The next morning Jo was the first one up, followed quickly by Hunter, they were almost ready to go when Onua lurched out of bed and feebly went about eating breakfast while the others packed and readied the horses.  
The days went by quickly and Jo found herself liking Onua and Hunter more and more. The road seemed to be crawling with soldiers, but they didn't seem to see Hunter. She had let Hunter ride Ferdinand because he was so tall that he couldn't ride the ponies. Every night they told stories of the past and Jo grew to know and love the people of Corus just as much as Onua and Hunter did. The bad feeling remained in the back of her mind and she tried to shrug it off but it wouldn't go away. She started to get used to the presence of Onua's ward at night. The bad feeling and Cyril made her lose more sleep than the ward.  



	3. At the River Drell

The Horsehearted  
  
Chapter Three: At the River Drell  
"Just think, tomorrow, we cross the Drell, I haven't made this good a time since Daine worked for me." Onua said eagerly, the company of three had camped alongside the immense river and were going to cross into Tortall the first thing in the morning. Hunter was tense, it would be just his luck to be so close to safety and then get captured, Jo was nervous, she was afraid of water, she hated it. Two years before Jo had been pushing mares out of a draw when a flash flood had hit her. It was a miracle that she was alive, Jo had broken both of her arms, a leg, and her collarbone. Her collarbone had hurt three times more than any other bone she had broken in her life, but the thing that had scarred Jo more than any wound could were the remains of the horse she had been riding. All they had found were scattered body parts, for weeks Jo had nightmares about getting slowly ripped to pieces by swirling water.   
Onua was the only one that seemed calm. "Jo, what's wrong, you've got this funny look on your face." She said.  
"I've never been in a boat before." Jo said, trying to force a cheerful tone.  
"You're worrying about something else and it's a ferry, not a boat." Hunter said, perking up from his own thoughts.  
"I just don't like water is all and anything that floats is a boat to me." Jo muttered, focusing all of her attention on the dagger she was sharpening.  
"Why not?" Hunter prodded. Jo told them about the flash flood.  
"No wonder." Onua said thoughtfully.  
"It's getting late, I'm turning in." Jo growled, sheathing her dagger and marching to her blanket. All of a sudden she felt so sick she could barely stand. For a second Jo was face to face with a large, furry, black thing, then it vanished into the woods. The sick feeling disappeared. Jo remembered the bad feeling in her mind. Maybe that thing was what was causing it, still, Jo wasn't completely sure she had even seen it. Jo didn't want to look like some flighty woman, so she said nothing to her companions.   
Jo dreamed that the black thing and the river were chasing her. No matter where she went she couldn't escape the black thing and the river. Mercifully, Ferdinand let out an ear-piercing whinny. "Thanks, Ferdinand." Jo mumbled, stumbling from her blanket and running her hand over his silky coat. Jo went over to the fire and poked it with a stick, trying to stir up the coals.  
Hunter stepped out of the shadows, "Couldn't sleep?" he inquired.  
"No." Jo answered, giving the fire an extra hard poke.  
"Was it because of the blanket, how about you take the bedroll." Hunter offered with a teasing grin.  
Jo gave him a little punch in the shoulder and said, with a grudging smile, "Nice try." Smiling had gotten easier, the more she smiled, the more she could control the other emotions inside her.  
Hunter grinned back. "Why can't you sleep." Jo asked, she hoped they had known each other long enough for him to trust her.  
He just shook his head. "Does it have anything to do with the Healing Opal?" Jo asked, meeting his eyes.  
"How do you know about that?" he whispered, his hand halfway to a dagger that Jo was almost completely sure he kept in his boot.  
"Keep your shirt on." Jo whispered, looking at his hand, then back to his eyes, "I heard it from Sunny, and I am not about to tell anybody, if that is why you are trying to grab for your dagger. As far as I am concerned it is no one's business what you did in Cria."  
Hunter relaxed, then muttered, "I can't believe that Sunny would tell a total stranger about me."  
"Don't blame her, she can't help it." Jo replied, whittling on a new horse.  
"But she hardly knows you." Hunter argued.  
"No she doesn't, I'm the one that trained her." Jo retorted.  
"You're kidding." He said flatly.  
"What do you think I did for a living? She was the first horse I trained. If you don't believe me, ask her yourself." Jo growled, accidentally cutting off the carving's leg in her irritation.  
Hunter marched off toward the horses. After consulting with Sunsinger he tramped back and made a shamefaced apology.  
Jo grinned at him innocently. "Don't look at me like that." Hunter muttered grumpily.  
"What am I doing?" Jo asked, beaming at him, "Maybe baby Hunter needs to go to sleep."  
Jo and Hunter bickered and argued amiably until dawn. Both of them were bright and quick-witted, making for an animated argument that moved quickly. Changing the subject of the argument often occurred and they found themselves bickering over a subject that had nothing to do with the original argument. Jo and Hunter, however intense the dispute, never got in so deep that they couldn't get out and there was no resentment afterwards.  
  
Onua got up; the arguing pair had somehow packed the camp. "Here's your breakfast." Jo said to Onua, bringing a brief halt to the debate as she gave Onua a cup of coffee and a plate.  
Jo was astride a palomino gelding when she saw the river. She froze. It was huge. All of a sudden Jo started shaking. There was no way she could cross something so big and strong. The ferry was now in view, it was little more than a bunch of sticks tied together. The gelding skittered to the side away from the river. Jo had to get a hold on herself if not for her sake then at least for that of her mount.  
"Are you okay, Josie?" Hunter inquired, looking at her with a worried frown.  
"I'm fine, Hunter." Jo whispered, her voice shaking with fear, pictures of drowning filled her mind.  
Onua glanced back, "Jo, you look tired, maybe you should double up with Hunter so you won't fall off if you go to sleep." They all knew that Onua was lying, Jo wasn't tired.  
Jo dismounted the pony and easily mounted Ferdinand, placing her body behind the saddle and gripping Hunter's middle more for comfort than for balance. She rode the rest of the way to the river with him. Soon, they were at the ferry station. While Onua was paying, Jo and Hunter helped to load the ponies. Jo felt sick, she was about to vomit from fear. Finally, Onua had paid for their passage and climbed aboard the swaying vessel. Hunter followed, and Jo reluctantly stepped onto the ferry. The minute Jo was aboard she hobbled to the center of the boat and placed her head between her knees, trying not to faint.  
"Wow, Josie, you really don't like boats, do you?" Hunter asked, crouching beside her.  
"No, I don't, Hunter." She whispered breathlessly, not looking up.  
He draped his arm over her shoulders; "Do you know how to swim?"  
"No I don't." Jo replied.  
"How about after we cross the river and we get to Corus, I'll teach you how to swim." Hunter said.  
"Okay." Jo murmured, raising her head slightly.  
All of a sudden the boat lurched, Jo looked up fearfully, they were ashore, Jo dashed off as fast as her legs and the swaying boat would allow.  
Onua and Hunter got off more slowly. Jo helped to get the unloaded horses out of the way as Onua, Hunter, and the people that had gotten the ferry across unloaded them.  
"Onua, Hunter." Said a booming voice from across the road. A large, strong, young man that appeared to be in his early twenties trotted up to them. The last of the ponies had been unloaded; Jo stayed near Sunsinger and Ferdinand. Something about this man was different than Onua and Hunter. The ponies gathered around Jo, catching her reluctance to greet him.  
"Jo, this in Sir Abram." Onua said.  
Jo bowed gracefully, "It is an honor to meet you, your lordship."  
"And this is Josana Falconsri." Onua continued.  
"The pleasure is all mine." Sir Abram replied cordially, "Hunter, what are you doing here? I thought you were cavorting around Maren."  
"I was," Hunter said coolly, "until I decided to go to Cria, I wanted a new horse, they do have the best horses after all."  
Abram raised his eyebrow disapprovingly and pursed his lips. Something had happened between them, Jo thought, they certainly don't like each other.  
Sir Abram went to get his horse, a large, bad-tempered chestnut stallion. The horse eyed the ponies and skittered over to one of them, pinning his ears and arching his neck. Sir Abram tried in vain to get the horse under control. "Leave the ponies alone." Jo growled at the stallion, narrowing her eyes at him and glaring. The stallion moved over to his side of the road sulkily.  
"I don't need you scolding my horse, I can handle him myself." Sir Abram said pompously.  
Jo turned pink and clenched her fists; they were now out of town and in the woods. The bad feeling grew stronger, Jo felt sick and scared, she groped wildly for her longbow and put an arrow to it as the bad feeling intensified. It was in the tree in front of her. Jo instinctively released the arrow and grabbed for another one. It was not needed. The bad feeling disappeared as a spidren dropped out of the tree Jo had shot into.  
"Horselords." Onua whispered, looking from Jo to the Spidren again and again. Jo stared at her bow.  
"Wow, Josie, how did you know it was there?" Hunter asked, grinning at her.  
"I just felt a bad feeling coming from the trees." Jo muttered, picking at the grain of her longbow.  
Sir Abram didn't say anything.  
  
The journey passed quickly, the bad feeling was gone and Cyril was fading away faster and faster. Jo was coming to terms with his death. Sir Abram had warmed to her slightly after she had shot the spidren. Sir Abram wasn't a bad person; Jo learned, just opinionated and judgmental. Soon they arrived in Corus.  
"Wow, I've never seen such finery, have you?" Jo asked Ferdinand as she stared at the goods that decorated the Market Square.  
All of a sudden Sir Abram's stallion reached out to bite a woman that was hurrying by. "Don't you dare." Jo growled at the horse, he meekly lowered his head.  
"Josana, I thought I told you that I can handle my own horse." Sir Abram grumbled.  
Hunter was aboard Sunsinger, who had long since healed, "So Josie, what do you think of your first time in Corus."  
Jo tried to think of a word that would encompass all of her surroundings.  
Finally, she said, "It is very colorful."  
Hunter grinned. All of a sudden a grubby little hand reached for Hunter's saddlebags. Jo's hand shot out and she grabbed the little wrist and gave it a squeeze. The hand dropped the purse that it had pulled out of Hunter's saddlebags. Jo snatched it and released the wrist, then handed the purse back to Hunter.  
He grinned and accepted it. Sir Abram looked at Jo with an odd look in his eyes. He had never thought that she had any virtue, to find her catching a pickpocket and acting quickly enough to retrieve the item surprised him. Instead of voicing his surprise Sir Abram said, "Why didn't you catch the little rat."  
"He didn't steal anything did he?" Jo retorted, trying not to lose her temper with Sir Abram.  
"He will steal again, you know." Sir Abram replied.  
Jo had control of her temper again and didn't answer.  
Jo soon forgot her spat with Sir Abram. The wonder of the Temple District drove all thoughts of grudges from Jo's mind.  
Jo had thought that nothing would surprise her after she had been through the market place-she was wrong-the palace was amazing. Jo had never seen building so large All she could do was stare.  
"This is my stop." Hunter said, heading in the opposite direction, "See y'all soon."  
"Soon!" Jo called back cheerfully.  
Onua led then to a set of paddocks with enough ponies to make up half of Onua's herd.  
"Put those ponies in the paddock with the others."  
Jo opened thee gate and ushered the ponies inside. She then dismounted Ferdinand and pulled off his bridle. "Good boy, I'll be back soon, I've got to go help Onua."  
Jo trotted off to unpack Jenny and find a place to put her things. When her packs were off of Jenny, Jo placed them on the ground near the pasture and headed back in the direction Onua had gone. When Jo arrived there were three people with Onua.  
"Oh, hello, Jo, this is the Daine, Sarge, and Buri." Onua said as they shook hands, "and this is Jo, the girl that helped me out on the trail."  
Jo felt something tickle in the back of her mind, something was scrutinizing her. Jo looked around wildly. Daine was squinting at her thoughtfully. The way Daine looked at her gave Jo the creeps. Jo built up a wall in her mind, and the odd feeling stopped.  
Daine felt confused, she would have sworn the girl had Wild Magic, but the minute she tried to get a closer look the aura had disappeared. Jo stood calmly, her face revealing nothing.  
Onua had said Hunter had been on the trail with her most of the way. Daine would ask him.  
"Is there anything I can help you with?" Jo asked timidly.  
"Oh, no." Onua replied, "Feel free to look around."  
Jo struck off for the stables. They looked like the most interesting place to go. The barn was full of large war-horses. Jo petted and talked to them. Jo was almost at the end of the aisle when a cold voice demanded, "What are you doing here, you are not a knight, get out of here."  
Jo left, wondering what would she do now? Jo wandered over to the palace and soon found herself meandering about the halls. After awhile Jo realized it must be getting late. After a few moments of dead ends and twisting corridors Jo found that she was lost. She looked for someone whom she could ask for directions.  
Jo turned a corner to find two people deep in a conversation.  
Jo could tell from the voices that one was Hunter.  
"You got caught?" said a grizzled old voice; "YOU got caught? How could YOU get caught? You are one of my best."  
"They had some sort of spell I couldn't detect." Hunter replied.  
"An undetectable spell, that's the last thing we need." The man muttered thoughtfully.  
Jo walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. The man jumped and grabbed for the sword strapped to his waist. Jo palmed her dagger, not wanting to start trouble but not about to let this man cut her down. Hunter forced a smile and grabbed the man's wrist.  
"I would like you to meet Josana, she was that girl I told you about earlier."  
Linus relaxed his hold on the sword and sheathed it. Jo sheathed her dagger and turned bright red.  
"I'm very sorry." She mumbled, "I didn't mean to...uh...make you feel threatened."  
Linus grinned and patted her on the back.  
"The fault is mine, I'm not used to being snuck up on."  
Jo gave him a cautious smile. "I'm really sorry about that. I was just going to ask for directions.  
"Directions for what?" asked Linus curiously.  
"Well, I need to find Onua, so I could find out where I sleep tonight." Jo replied.  
Linus thought for a moment then said, "I could tell you how to get out of here, but the palace is difficult to navigate when you are new here. I'll show you. Come along Hunter."  
Something is going on, Jo thought, but I trust Hunter and he wouldn't let Linus hurt me. Jo followed them through the complicated twist of corridors that was called the palace. Hunter grew increasingly nervous; this wasn't the way to the Rider's Barracks. Jo noticed Hunter's nervousness and caught his eye. Hunter indicated that he did not know what Linus was doing. Jo drew her dagger and place her hand on the hilt of another. Jo wanted to run away, but she was lost. Linus turned a corner and entered a dark room. Hunter's face changed to a look of panic. That was the last straw; Jo whirled around and ran. Hunter pretended to not see her, Linus had led them to the room where people who had caught spies were hurt to assure their silence. Hunter knew that Jo did not need to be hurt to be kept silent.  
"Where did she go?" Linus asked Hunter, frowning.  
"She must have snuck off." Hunter said, buying Jo some time, "You know how quietly she moves."  
Linus just scowled and took off at a run in the direction he thought Jo had gone.  
Jo scrambled through the corridors as quickly as she could. Jo was a silent mover and she didn't make a sound. Jo tried to go the way she had come, but she was desperately lost.  
All of a sudden she heard steps behind her. Jo ducked into an empty room and closed the door behind her. The footsteps paused at her door. Jo searched frantically for a place to hide. She found a door, opened it, and stumbled into what looked like a secret corridor, I can't run forever, she thought, they know the palace better than I do. Jo drew both knives. If it were Hunter who stepped through the threshold, she would make him show her a way out. If it were Linus, she would kill him.  
Hunter and Linus searched the room; "I was going to ask her to join our number. You know, become a spy. From what I've heard and seen Jo has a great affinity for that sort of work" Linus said grumpily.  
Hunter breathed a sigh of relief and opened a door to see if Jo had gone through there. Something roughly grabbed him and forced him against the wall. A sharp knife was pressed against Hunter's throat. Jo drew her face very close to his and whispered barely audible words, "Show me the way out before I kill you."  
Hunter looked at Jo's face; it revealed nothing of her feelings. Hunter leaned forward slightly until their cheeks were touching, then whispered as softly as she had, "Linus just wants to ask you to work for us, that's all."  
"I don't need any comments," Jo whispered fiercely, "Just show me the way out."  
All of a sudden Linus burst through the door, sword in hand. Jo yanked Hunter away from the wall and placed him between herself and Linus.  
"This is a mistake," Hunter gasped, "Jo, Linus is not going to kill you, he just wants to offer you a job."  
Jo snorted and gave a harsh, cold laugh, "I'm not stupid, Hunter, Cyril thought that just because I trusted him that I wouldn't protect myself. Well he was wrong and so are you."  
Hunter had never heard Jo speak like this. He was shocked. Who was Cyril? What was she talking about?  
Linus caught the confusion and fear in Hunter's eyes. The situation was explosive and Linus feared that he would lose his best spy to a mere fourteen-year-old girl. "Calm down and release Hunter." Linus said in the voice that he used to calm scared horses.  
"Not until you drop your sword and daggers." Jo retorted.  
Linus dropped his sword with a clatter and unsheathed the dagger at his waist.  
"The one in your boot." Jo prodded her voice infinitely patient.  
Linus pulled the last dagger out and laid it down wondering how had she known; Linus never told anybody about the dagger.  
He slowly straightened. Jo released Hunter. Linus then darted back down and retrieved the dagger that he had placed on the floor.  
Jo lunged at Linus, her knife flashing. The two artfully fought for a long time. They seemed to be dancing. Hunter was awed. Jo matched maybe even beat Linus's skill; however; Linus had superior strength, which kept the fight going.  
Hunter had to stop the fight before one of his friends got hurt or killed, already Jo was sporting slashes on her arms and several cuts on her face, while Linus bled steadily from gashes across his chest and a slice on his leg. Hunter boldly leaped between them and yelled, "Enough!"  
Jo froze. Linus did likewise and stared at Jo curiously, first she had been willing to kill Hunter and now she was practically risking her life for him.  
"Now, look." Hunter said calmly, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, "Nobody is going to hurt you, okay, Linus was just trying to be nice and offer you a job"  
"What kind of job?" Jo asked, raising her eyebrows skeptically.  
Hunter and Linus looked at each other, then Linus continued, "I am offering you a position as a spy for the Tortallan Government. Hunter says you are quick-witted, have good instincts, are great with a bow, calm in dangerous situations, and today you have proved that you have remarkable skill with a dagger. To think that I, a sixty year old man was almost beat by a fourteen-year-old."  
"Fifteen." Jo added, "I turned fifteen last week."  
"Fifteen-year-old-girl." Linus continued with a glare at Jo, "So, any questions? Comments?"  
Jo flooded them with questions, all of them well thought out and reasonable. Hunter was impressed that Jo knew what sort of questions to ask. When he had been offered the job, his head had been spinning too fast to even think of asking anything."  
"A year and a half." Jo said, breaking into Hunter's thoughts, "That's not bad for training."  
"Well, I'll all out of questions so how about you gentlemen escort me down to the Rider's Barracks so we can discuss this with Onua."   
  
Onua grinned at Jo; "I'm so excited. You get to have the chance of a lifetime. Of course I will let you go, but you do have to help me with these trainees for the next three weeks before they go to the summer training grounds."  
Jo returned Onua's grin. She still had to tell the spymaster that she was accepting his offer. "Well, I'd better tell Linus." Jo said as she opened the door to leave.  
Hunter met her halfway to the palace. "So have you decided yet?" he asked anxiously.  
Jo smiled at him and said, "Are you kidding? I would be crazy to refuse this job."  



	4. The Plot Encounters a Mild Twist

The Horsehearted  
  
Chapter 4: The Plot Encounters a Mild Twist  
  
"Three YEARS! You said a year and a half of training just two days ago!" the normally soft-spoken Jo shouted at Linus.  
"Most people take three years because they have to learn two new languages, and how to fight. Since the Gallan Plains are not exactly a citadel of learning, I believe that would be the approximate time that your training ends." Linus retorted.  
A small smile seemed to creep over her face. "Linus, it seems to me that the Gallan Plains lend themselves to education much more than you know, for I can fluently speak two languages and I have a basic understanding of another. I can read and write and do some basic mathematics."  
Linus raised his eyebrows and inquired with great sarcasm, "What languages do you speak, Professor Falconsri?"  
"Scanran, the language shared by the K'miri and the natives of the Gallan Plains as well as a touch of Old Thak."  
"Speak some Scanran for me then."   
Jo recited a long Scanran poem that she had always liked. Without losing a beat, she told Linus an old K'mir incantation. She then hesitated and haltingly told him the ancient story of The Greatest of the Horsehearted in Old Thak, missing several pronunciations.  
"...And Druscilla created the healing opal with the power to heal an entire army. It is said that some day the greatest of The Horsehearted, one who could surpass even Druscilla's power will salvage it and return the healing opal to the glory of their home country."  
Linus was amazed. With a very gentlemanly air he gallantly apologized, "Sorry, Jo. I forget that I shouldn't be judging people. You have already proved me wrong once in the wings of the palace. Who taught you those languages, anyway?"  
"I picked up the Scanran from the cook 'cause he couldn't speak anything else and I learned the K'miri from everyone. In order to work for the Falcon, you had to speak the native's language, just because I was young didn't mean I was exempt from that rule." Jo replied tugging absently at the tips of her shoulder length hair, "And then I learned Old Thak because I wanted to read the books in the library, but most of them were in Old Thak, so I made Fredrick teach me. I can't pronounce many of the words because I learned it by reading it, but I can speak some."  
She had barely finished talking when Hunter dashed into the room. "Hey, Josie, Onua, Mom...er. Daine and some other people want to have a talk with you about some... stuff tonight after dinner."  
She shot him a suspicious look. "Sure Hunter, where?"  
"His Majesty's council chambers. I'll show you." He replied.  
The noon bell rang. She would have to hurry if she wanted to get back to work on time. "I'll see y'all this evening she said hurriedly and took off.  
When she arrived at the stable Jo noticed that she was more tired than usual. It was a short run downhill, she was in great shape and she shouldn't have been winded. I'm turning into a regular noble lady she thought and entered the barn to bridle Ferdinand.  
On the first day of training Onua had insisted that she work on foot but Jo had adamantly refused, stating loftily that only farmers worked on foot and that she was NOT a lowly sod-buster and she would work on horseback or not at all.  
Onua had been humored by the girl's outburst and had gotten all of the officers to call her farmer girl.  
She led Ferdinand out of the barn and into the paddock where she mounted him and walked, trotted, and cantered around the field to warm Ferdinand up.  
After Ferdinand had warmed up it was Jo's turn. She stood up for eight circles and broke to a posting trot and posted ten. When she felt her leg muscles were stretched, she sat down, picked up a canter and took off toward the officers. For some reason, her legs were trembling with exhaustion, very strange.  
"Hullo." She said cheerfully to the officers and Daine.  
"How is our farmer girl?" Buri asked with a grin.  
"If you ever go the Gallan Plains and call a Plainsman a farmer, he will probably hunt you down and kill you. Consider yourself lucky that I ignore your petty comments." Jo said in a prissy imitation of a lady.  
"I would consider myself lucky if you would keep all your comments to yourself. I don't know how Linus can stand you." Buri retorted.  
Hunter trotted up to the group on Sunsinger, "He doesn't," he interrupted with a grin, "Just this morning they were screaming at each other."  
"Why am I not surprised." Onua said with a mirthful grin. The officers burst into laughter. Jo glowered at Hunter, thinking of all of the squishy things she could adorn that slimy little eavesdropper's bed with.   
She was debating spiders and slugs when she felt Daine give her the soul piercing look. It had happened so many times that she built the wall in her mind without a second thought.  
  
Daine frowned in frustration. If she looked at the girl through the corner of her eye, she could see her aura, but the moment that she tried to get a closer look the aura disappeared. It had taken a week just to determine that the girl had wild magic, however slippery it may have been to see Daine would have found it. She was a great wild mage and didn't need to see an aura to feel the power coming from this young woman. She frowned at Jo again. The girl must have a lot of power if both Onua and Hunter could feel her, but she didn't see very much of an aura in the little glimpses she had of her.  
  
Definitely slugs, Jo thought, they are very squishy and stayed in one spot better than spiders. She determined that after the mystery meeting with Hunter, she would go to the woods and dig some up. Maybe she would add a couple of spiders for good measure.   
"HEELS DOWN!" she barked at a passing trainee.   
  
"I demand you to tell me where we are going." Jo said imperatively as Hunter dragged her through the palace  
"To the council chambers." He replied doggedly.  
"Why, though."  
"Because we have something to tell you."  
"What? Spit it out." She wrenched free and held her knife hilt, ready to draw it, "Tell me now." She said evenly.  
"Just stuff." He mumbled, trying to grab her arm.  
Jo skipped away and snapped, "I won't come if you don't tell me. You can't make me come with you."  
"Do you want me to use magic on you?" he demanded, almost losing his temper.  
"Go ahead." She said recklessly.  
Rose-colored fire spilled out of his hands and locked on her wrists, drawing them in front of her and tugging her forward.  
She fought the tugging with all her might. She bit back a scream and built a wall between her emotions and her physical being. To her surprise, she was free of the spell.  
Hunter was sapped by the enchantment. "Please come." He said, sounding exhausted, "I can't fight with you right now."  
She gave in at his begging. There was some sort of instinct in her that always wanted to win, but when she won, the victory wasn't so sweet. She had beaten Hunter and now that she had proven that she didn't have to go, she wanted to.  
"Alright." She said agreeably.  
They walked down the hall in an awkward silence.  
When they arrived at the door, Hunter opened it for her. "Thank you." She said politely.  
"You're welcome." he replied amiably, closing the door and taking a seat.  
She turned around to survey the other inhabitants of the room. A tall man with dark hair and eyes gave her the soul-piercing look. She tried to build a wall in her head, but the man kept on knocking it down. Jo strained against the hold he had on her mind. She fought with all her might. Sweat beaded on her forehead. She relented a second, then surged every resource of strength against the tie. It broke. Jo collapsed onto the ground with exhaustion. The little battle she fought had cost her much of her strength. Hunter was standing over her, offering his hand and giving her an odd look. The tall man was looking at her, impressed. She scrambled to her feet quickly and mumbled feebly about this darned slick floor.  
"So, what do you want to talk about?" She said briskly, sitting down in the only free seat. She had already met the other inhabitants in the room, Linus, Onua, and Daine. The others weren't very reverent toward the tall man, so Jo figured that he likely wasn't a noble or was one of the nobles-that-didn't-act-like-nobles.  
"Actually, Jo, we'd like to talk about a power or a gift that you have." Daine said.  
"Oh?" she said curiously.  
"Yes," Daine continued nervously, "we think you have one of the exotic magics. Wild magic to be exact."  
"Really." Jo replied automatically. This was crazy, there was no way she had magic. Wouldn't Fredrick have checked?  
"We could teach you to do many things with horses." The tall man said.  
"Hmm, excuse me, I didn't catch your name." She was starting to be annoyed by these people who were wasting her time.  
"Master Numair Salmalin." He replied.  
"Forgive my asking, Master Salmalin, but what could you teach me about horses I don't already know."  
"Well, how to heal for instance or take on their form."  
She bit her lip. This man was mad she decided, "Give me a few days to come to a decision."  
"There is no decision." Linus broke in, "You are going to learn to use your magic whether you like it or not."  
"I beg your pardon?" her hands were trembling with anger now. This man had already crossed her once today.  
Hunter knew that tone of voice and before Linus could answer and begin a tidal wave, he said, "If you don't learn to use it, it could get out of control. You could harm yourself and the people around you if you don't learn to control it."  
She thought a second; "I'll learn about your wild magic but don't be surprised if I don't really have any."  
"Great!" Master Salmalin replied enthusiastically, "We'll start after Onua leaves with the trainees."  
"One more thing." Daine demanded as everyone rose to leave, "Jo, have you ever lost hold of yourself and thought yourself an animal?"  
"Why, no." Jo replied. Daine was definitely one strange woman.   
She left and acted like he was walking to her rooms, then doubled back and sneaked out through the kitchen door. She trotted through the horse meadow and into the royal forest. Jo walked about two hundred yards and found several large rocks that stood beside a deadfall. After finding various squishy and gross-looking insects under the deadfall and rocks and placing them all in a small water-skin, she started back to the palace.  
Jo was walking swiftly when she saw a shadow separate from the trees. She whirled around to face the shapeless shadow. She drew a knife and placed her right hand on the hilt of another.  
The shadow approached her fast-too fast. He circled her like a cat and with a move as quick as lightning, he grabbed her right arm and had her in a position where she couldn't counter him. She wriggled and fought.   
"Now see here, young man." Said a voice with a peasant's broad vowels, "What are you doing in the woods at this ungodly hour."  
The man must be poor and uneducated she thought, best to let him think her a noble, "I was gathering some roots for a spell I must complete, however, the roots can only be collected by night to be effective." She put on her best superior tone.  
"What kind of spell?" He asked. He let go and stepped aside.  
Smooth move, she thought, he wasn't a peasant, but a noble. Who else would wear such fine clothing? Jo caught a twinkle of humor in his eyes and decided to let him in on the joke. "Actually, it is quite a funny spell, because it is not roots I'm gathering, but insects to place in a dear friend's bed for the sake of revenge."  
He chuckled. "Where are your insects then?"   
She handed him the water skin and looked at him oddly when he leaped back and dropped it. "What's wrong." Jo demanded.  
He turned red and mumbled; "I'm not a big spider fan."  
"You aren't?" she asked incredulously, "but they are wonderful and useful creatures. They kill flies."  
He shrugged.  
"Well, if you aren't going to introduce yourself then I guess I'll be leaving."  
"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, "I'm George the younger of Pirates Swoop."  
"It's nice to meet you milord." She bowed. "I am Josana Falconsri. Now, if you don't mind, I have a friend to terrorize."  
He grinned at her small joke, "Well, please, young maiden, let me accompany you."  
She smiled politely and sheathed her knife, but did not take her hand off of the hilt.  
He looked at her hand and said thoughtfully, "It is not often I find a left handed fighter."  
Jo instinctively hid her right hand in the folds of her shirt before she replied, "I wasn't left-handed to begin with, I just had to learn it."  
"Whatever for?" George the younger inquired.  
"I got bit by a snake when I was itty-bitty and it made my right hand so I couldn't extend my fingers very well."  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's not your fault and I don't think that you are a very sorry person so why are you apologizing?"  
"Well, um, it's just the polite thing to say when you've asked a personal question."  
"Well, that is quite silly, now, if you don't mind, I am going to release these beasties before they eat each other." And she trotted through the trees so quickly and silently that George had difficulty keeping up.  
"Gods, girl, give a guy a chance to escort you." He muttered under his breath at the barely noticeable shadow darting through the trees.  
She slowed and allowed him to catch up. "So, who are you going to torment?" George inquired.  
"Hunter Salmalin." Jo replied, watching his face carefully.   
George grinned hugely, and chuckled. "Well, add a grub for me then."  
"Will a worm do?" she asked as she reached down and pulled a few worms out from under a few damp leaves.  
He laughed again. "A worm will serve beautifully."  
She chuckled herself, but the chuckle swelled into a laugh and turned into deep, gut wrenching coughs that erupted from somewhere deep in her chest and gathered power through her trachea before becoming loud, wet, coughs. Jo bent over onto her knees as the coughs wracked her body. Finally, after several minutes, she had exerted herself.  
"Oh, Chavi, don't let me do that again." She mumbled ignoring George's offered hand and concerned look.  
"Maybe I should take you to a healer." He said worriedly, "You should have that cough checked out."  
She shrugged nonchalantly, "I just had a tickle in my throat." She bit her lip and suffocated another round of coughs. As long as she wasn't caught unawares she could control her coughing, "Besides, I don't want to wake a healer over something so miniscule as a common cold."  
George frowned and replied firmly, "You had better go to a healer in the morning and have it checked out. Common colds don't bring people to their knees."  
She gave a noncommittal 'hmm' and they continued in silence. Finally, the pair emerged from the woods and Jo trotted to the palace and to George's amazement, clambered right up the wall, gripping the cracks between the stones. At one time she was hanging by only her fingertips. Jo swung herself over the ledge and nimbly stood on the two-inch width while she applied oil to the hinges of Hunter's shutters to make sure they wouldn't squeak. When they were thoroughly squeak-proof she picked the lock on them and slid into the room.   
As sure as young George knew his name, he knew that this girl had to be a thief. Only a thief would have known to oil the hinges or how to pick the lock. Jo clambered out of the room by way of the shutters and left them open. She leaped back and for a second George feared she would fall. To his relief, she caught hold of the ledge with her fingers and with a wink at him she dropped one hand, put it to her lips and uttered an ear-piercing whistle.   
Hunter heard the whistle and awakened. Judging from the profusion of curses and dismayed cries, she assumed that he had discovered the creepy-crawlies in his bed. She peeked at him by pulling her body up to eye level to the ledge. He was storming to the open window. Immediately she popped down.  
Salmalin cast his eyes about the courtyard and fastened them on George the younger. "Curse you, George! You are going to be sorry for this! I am going to make you regret this night!"  
George was scandalized. The girl had framed him. She was looking at him fiercely as if daring him to rat her out, instead he laughed and said, "You look a sight, all got up in your loincloth. What would Aphelia say?"  
Hunter turned red and smashed his shutters closed. Jo scrambled down the wall, grinning famously. "I do apologize for making you take the heat for my prank. I should have told you to get your tail out of sight when I deposited my critters."  
George shrugged, "I did contribute to your trick and I have done plenty of pranks and not gotten blamed for it."  
She looked at him to make sure he hadn't gone mad. "Are you alright? Maybe you should go to the healers."  
He grinned. "You are the one who needs to go to the healers. If I don't see you there tomorrow, you may find some insects in your own bed."  
"If I'm sick in the morning, I'll go, if I feel good, I'll go back to work"  
"What do you do?"  
"Assistant Horse Mistress, I'll be a palace horse trader when the trainees head for their summer training grounds."  
"Already working your way up the ladder are you? I'm not surprised. A little cut throat like you will have all our jobs in a year."  
"I am not a cut throat!" she cried indignantly, "I have yet to cut anyone's throat."  
"Oh, no, how awful, you must be terribly behind."  
"I am. I've gotten a heart and a lung, but I've yet to cut a throat."  
George looked at her in astonishment, she just shrugged and grinned, "Oh, this is my room, bye, good luck. May the Goddess smile upon you and Mynoss bestow mercy and all that parting protocol nonsense."  
"Good bye." He called.  
She arrived in her room and made sure he was well down the path before breaking into chest racking coughs. She coughed so hard that she threw up. Jo heaved hacked all night long. She only dozed for a few minutes before waking again, coughing. By morning, green phlegm was pouring out of her lungs with every heave. I'm alright, she told herself, its just a cold, I'll shake it.   
That morning she got up early to tend Ferdinand. It was a relief not to have to concentrate on the cold. Jo brushed him until his coat was a sheet of silk and automatically started on the officer's horses. When she was done, she was exhausted. She coughed up more green stuff and sat down to rest. Her nose was streaming. The trainees were entering. Jo would rather die than look weak in front of them. She bridled Ferdinand and led him out of the barn before climbing aboard. You feel hot and weak, and you've been coughing. Are you okay? Ferdinand asked. "I'm fine, just a cold." She whispered. You don't feel cold. You feel hot. He argued. Jo smiled and suppressed a cough.   
The morning was miserable. She couldn't focus. It was all she could do to stay aboard Ferdinand. Onua and the other officers were concerned but when they ventured to inquire what was wrong, she would reply that she was fine, healthy as a horse in fact.  
At lunch, matters came to a climax. Jo had gotten her tray of food and was listening politely to Hunter's account of George's prank on him, when she noticed that there were black flowers blooming all over the room. The flowers gained size and spread until they met each other they continued to spread until they blocked her vision. Hunter barely caught her as she fell from the table in a dead faint.  



End file.
